Viking: Master of the Icy Sea

Chapter 237: Precious Sunlight

The next day, as the fleet was nearing its departure, Helgi stood on the Deck counting the men. Only the first mate was missing. "Where did he run off to?" he demanded.

A sailor replied, "He went to the tavern to find someone. He said it was your order."

'Me?'

Helgi grew increasingly annoyed, gritting his teeth as he glared toward the pier. After a long while, the first mate's figure finally appeared in his line of sight, with a local young man trailing behind him.

Upon reaching the Deck, the first mate ignored his superior's blazing anger. He dragged the youth and the translator straight to the captain's cabin. "The other day, while the boys were having a good time at the tavern, this guy was bragging to the translator. He claims he's been to a vast, desolate archipelago."

"Are you certain?" Helgi asked, handing some Paper and Pen to the youth. The young man clumsily sketched the outlines of Iberia and the southern region of Morocco, followed by a sailing route leading to the islands. Then, he abruptly stopped drawing and rapidly spouted a long string of words.

The translator relayed, "My lord, his name is Diego Garos, a Visigoth. He started working on ships when he was thirteen. He is willing to guide us to the Canary Islands, but in return, he demands a piece of land that can be inherited by his descendants."

'Hereditary land.'

That phrase struck a nerve with Helgi. He was approaching his fifties, and his energy was gradually waning. If he missed this opportunity, his son would only be able to inherit the northwestern islands of Britain.

'It's time to take a gamble.'Helgi brought out some Whiskey and poured a glass for everyone present. "Alright, I agree to his terms. Inform the sailors shortly. Let's hope they are willing to take this risk."

The first mate downed his drink, smacking his lips as he spoke. "We have a total of one hundred and ninety men across three ships. If the archipelago is as vast as he claims, there will be more than enough wealth to go around."

Half an hour later, the fleet departed from Lisbon. Helgi informed the crew about the exploration plan, detailing both the risks and the potential rewards of the voyage.

A voice called out from the crowd, "Are there gold and silver mines on the islands?"

"Probably not," Helgi replied candidly. "According to certain scrolls, the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans have all visited that archipelago. Even if there were gold or silver mines, they would have been stripped bare long ago.

"However, according to Garos's description, the area gets plenty of sunlight, making it perfect for growing Sugarcane and grapes. When the time comes, we can sell Cane Sugar and Wine to Britain and Northern Europe. I guarantee everyone will make a fortune."

Another voice piped up from the crowd, "How far is it?"

Helgi answered, "Garos was a sailor on a Merchant Ship back then. The ship was blown off course by a storm and ended up in the Canary Islands. After repairing their vessel, it took them twelve days to return to Iberia. Our ships are far better, so we expect to arrive in ten days."

Since they had a guide willing to lead the way, the sailors agreed to Helgi's plan. The fleet changed course, now exploring southward along the coastline.

During the voyage, the three captains used the "Chip Log Method" to measure their Speed, recorded their bearing with a Magnetic Compass, and, at high noon, utilized an Astrolabe adapted from the Moors to determine their latitude.

When night fell, the Military Officers on the night watch estimated their latitude based on the position of the North Star. This was also recorded in the Ship's Logbook, serving as the foundation to draw their nautical charts.

In the early Middle Ages, lacking marine chronometers and sextants, the navigation methods used by captains had a large margin of error. A slight moment of carelessness could lead them drastically off course, making it unfeasible to stay far from the coastline for extended periods.

On the fourth day, a steady north wind swept across the sea. The fleet left the waters of Iberia behind, sailing southwest along the African coastline.

The further south they went, the more desolate the African coastal scenery became. According to Garos, this vast, boundless desert had no water sources, no flora or fauna; there was nothing but endless stretches of yellow sand.

Seeing the captain's deeply furrowed brow, Garos hurriedly added,

"The Canary Islands are different, especially the two larger ones. Dense forests grow there, including laurel trees, and their leaves can be used as Spices." The translator then relayed Helgi's icy response, "Let's hope so."

At dawn on the tenth day, the shadow of land emerged through the morning mist ahead. The lookout high up on the Mast screamed at the top of his lungs, jolting the majority of the sleeping crew awake.

"Let me see!"

Garos dashed to the ship's rail. He rubbed his eyes vigorously before pointing at the approaching white sandy beach and the vast forests stretching inland, bursting into roaring laughter.

"Haha! I was right! Captain, it's time to honor your promise."

When the morning mist finally cleared, Helgi realized he had indeed arrived at the legendary Canary Islands. Using flag signals, he ordered the remaining two ships to drop anchor and assembled the Marines to prepare for an inland exploration.

Anticipating the possibility of boarding actions, each sailing ship carried a twenty-man squad of Marines in addition to its forty-plus crew members. They were fully equipped with Iron Armor and, if necessary, could help the captain suppress any Mutiny among the sailors.

Half an hour later, Helgi, the translator, their guide Garos, and sixty armored soldiers landed on the beach.

"Form combat formations and stay alert. Don't let the local Natives wipe us out," Helgi ordered.

Back when Bjorn Ironside first explored Greenland, he was nearly killed in a sudden, violent ambush by the aboriginals. That harsh lesson remained deeply etched into Helgi's mind.

Therefore, ignoring the sweltering heat, he wore two layers of Iron Armor—a Brigandine armor on the outside and chainmail on the inside—as he cautiously led the expedition deeper into the island.

Over the course of several days, the fleet conducted a preliminary survey of the archipelago. There were seven relatively large islands in total. Helgi selected the largest one to be his personal fief, christening it Sun Island.

Sun Island featured a dramatic range in elevation—from sea level to 3,718 meters. Basking in abundant sunlight, the rugged terrain was covered with massive pine forests. The windward northwestern side of the island was relatively humid, while the leeward side remained significantly drier.

In their hastily constructed temporary camp, Helgi scooped up a handful of dirt, pondering how he would turn a profit in the future.

As time had passed, he, along with Nobles like Joren and Thorkel, had been profoundly influenced by Wigg. Almost every time they arrived at a new location, they would subconsciously evaluate the terrain—where it was suitable to deploy troops, where to build settlements, what crops could be planted, and roughly how much money could be made each year.

He sought out Garos. "Is this place really suitable for growing Sugarcane? Have you ever planted Sugarcane yourself?"

"There's a Sugarcane Plantation in my hometown, and the climate there is very similar to this," Garos replied. "Besides, my cousin has worked on a Plantation for years. When the time comes, we can bring him over to help. I guarantee we'll produce our first batch of Cane Sugar within two years."

Looking at the solemn and confident Garos, Helgi remained half-skeptical. He arranged for twenty volunteers to stay behind and guard the camp before leading the fleet back along their original route toward Iberia.

Worried about arousing the governor's suspicions, the fleet deliberately avoided anchoring in Lisbon. Instead, they sailed to Gijón Port in Asturias, trading four sets of Iron Armor for half a day of docking and resupply time.

"Are you truly intending to do business?"

The local Visigoth noble was utterly astounded. In the twenty years since he had inherited his territory, this was the very first time he had seen Viking Barbarians willing to settle down and engage in honest trade.

Helgi replied, borrowing Wigg's words, "The benefits provided by long-term trade far exceed those of a single Plunder. Naturally, we choose the former."

In the end, the two reached an agreement. Moving forward, Viking ships would be allowed to temporarily dock at Gijón Port, but they would be required to pay a docking fee of two sets of Iron Armor per vessel.